Stuart Bannigan swept home Kallum Higginbotham's pass before the break and Ben Frempah's added a second.

Strikes by Gary Fraser and Stephen O'Donnell increased the lead.

It was a top class performance from the lads, every single one of them," he told BBC Scotland. "Even the subs that went on made an impact."

Archibald's side had to wait until the second half of the season to record their first home win during the 2013/14 campaign, and the Firhill boss was keen to ensure the wait was not as long this time.

"It took us until March last year I was told, so delighted to get the monkey off our back right away and get that home win," he said.

"I was just delighted to get a clean sheet at the end there, I thought they were going to score. There's also a great save from Scott Fox at 2-0, it was an unbelievable save.

"We couldn't have asked for a better start.

"We said to them be relaxed, go and take the ball. Do what we done last year, pass the ball but have that cutting edge.

"I can't speak for Derek's [Adams] team but I went to see them at the weekend and they were very good, I'm just delighted with the way we played.

We couldn't have asked for a better start.

Alan Archibald

"We never had a game at the weekend so the boys were champing at the bit. I think that showed tonight, they were desperate to get the ball down and play."

The score-line could have been even more handsome had referee Andrew Dallas awarded a penalty when Kallum Higginbotham went down from Antonio Reguero's challenge, with the referee instead brandishing a yellow card for diving.

"It was maybe a dive," admitted Archibald.

"I've not spoken to him about it but I think he probably tried to make too much of it."